Can the Milwaukee Brewers Beat the LA Dodgers? BUSTER OLNEY Previews NLCS & World Series Odds

Can the Milwaukee Brewers Beat the LA Dodgers? BUSTER OLNEY Previews NLCS & World Series Odds

We’ve got Buster Only from ESPN joining Jen Gabin Shuy right now to talk about your brew crew facing those Dodgers. Good morning, Buster. How are you today? I am great after that introduction. I am definitely not worthy of what you just said. You’re cool, right? Yeah. No, no, no. I’ve got two kids. They would absolutely tell you I am totally uncool. Kids are such unreliable sources of information when it comes to their parents’ level of coolness. Let’s talk about how cool the Brewers are, though. Uh, you know, I keep seeing those graphics. I keep see people keep reminding the world and and I do think it’s worth it. Uh, the payroll disparity between the Brewers and the Dodgers is obviously off the charts. Uh, you know, and we we keep talking about it. Obviously, what the Brewers have done this year has surprised a lot of people. I guess nobody inside that clubhouse. What do you see when you look at this Brewers team? uh a team that is absolutely feeding off that, right? I mean, to play into play into that narrative because when you look on paper, I mean, all you have to do is look at the pitching matchup situation for the series. You know, the Dodgers are rolling out two times S Young Award winner Blake Snell, who they paid a billion dollars. Uh and then when they’re done with him, they’ll follow him up with Yamamoto, who is the highest paid pitcher. Uh you got the biggest contract ever. He’s rolling out in game two. And the the Brewers, what are they saying about game one? Yeah, we don’t know. And and here’s the thing is that the Brewers aren’t afraid of that. Uh right, and they they embrace that and they play off that and there’s a confidence that they can figure it out. Look, I thought the best description that I heard from anyone this year uh was an executive of another team who was talking about the Brewers with high admiration goes, you know what, they don’t play bad games. They might lose, but on a day in and dayout basis, they’re in every game. They compete. They find a way. They have such a unique style, and they just keep coming at you. And it doesn’t matter. Uh it really doesn’t matter who exactly they’re facing in some respects. Like they’re Rocky from the first Rocky movie where they’re just moving forward and moving forward and moving forward and you can’t get away from them. Buster, does it account for anything with the fact that the Brewers beat them every game in the I think they were 6 and0 or is it playoff baseball and it really doesn’t matter? So, I think generally speaking it doesn’t matter. Uh, you know, I was a huge Dodger fan when I was growing up as a kid. And in 1988, uh, my really my last year of fandom before I started covering the sport. I think the the Mets went 10 and one against the Dodgers in the regular season and then the Dodgers beat the Mets in the playoffs. And that was just one example of many where, you know, especially in baseball where they play so many games, you there probably are Dodgers who don’t even remember their record against the Brewers. Um, and once you get into the postseason, um, it’s a different feel, especially when you’re talking about a team like the Dodgers where I I mean, so many of these guys, three future Hall of Famers, at least in their everyday lineup, they played so many meaningful games. Whatever happened in July is not going to matter. Buster, how impressed were you with Jacob Miserowski in game five for the Brewers? He was somebody that obviously lit the world on fire, gets the Allstar nod, has the injury, comes back, was not very good for the Brewers over the last month of the season. And he provided seven innings of relief for them in this series, including the four that he threw. But it wasn’t even just the fast ball. It was his offspe stuff, throwing that slider, throwing that curveball, and pitching more than just rearing back and throwing 103. Yeah. And that was especially impressive because let’s face it when we we’ve been conditioned through the years when you see a young pitcher the question is you know will the guy handle the moment? Um in fact you know priest in in his start I think that’s what Murf said afterward the moment you know and I’m paraphrasing maybe got a little big for him. um you don’t know which way a young pitcher is going to go in that spot because you’re throwing the dollop of adrenaline into uh the stuff that they have and you don’t know how it’s going to impact them and he’s game rose and look it’s been amazing this postseason how often we’ve seen that right Cam Schlitler against the Red Sox Trey Savage uh in his uh last start that he made uh and Miserowski and to me like Miserowski is great equalizer because you can have a $360 million payroll and your lineup can have, you know, the greatest player we’ve ever seen in show Otani and and Mookie Betts, Future Hall of Famer and Freddy Freeman, Hall of Famer, that fastball and his stuff the other night. That is the great equalizer and it doesn’t matter who’s in the box. Buster only hanging out with Jen Gab and Chewy this morning talking about the Brewers Dodgers in the NLCS game one tonight at Amfam Field. Going to be electric. I was out there on Saturday night. I imagine the scene will be just as good, if not better. There’s a lot of people who believe that the Brewers sort of vanquished some of their demons by beating the Cubs in the NLDS. They had been one and done over and over and over again, as you know. Buster, what would it mean for baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers to be in the World Series? I saw Jeff Pass talking about how from a labor standpoint and the conversations about, you know, a salary cap, it might actually play a role in that. It reflects for sure the the disparity with between the teams and and a lot of the discussions that we’re going to have in labor arguments. You know, it’s interesting. We get to this time of year and and I I mean, my freshman year in college was the was when the Brewers played in the World Series against Cardinals in 1982. So, you know, for for folks who are old like me. See, that makes you cool. That in and of itself makes you cool, Buster. I I don’t know why you’re trying to fight this fight this narrative this morning, right? Uh I I I think that, you know, our perspective, you look back at it, you think how great that is. When you have, you know, a franchise that has its history. Um and by the way, they’re not alone. I mean, the Seattle Mariners have never played in a World Series and they’re they’re trying to get there. And the Toronto Blue Jays, it’s been, you know, 32 years since they had that opportunity. um you know and we and from the Dodgers perspective even they’re they’re trying to become the first team to go back to back since those late 90s Yankees. So I think for you know for writers it’s a dream come true with these four teams and the the respective narratives. I think for the players they don’t care. I just I I I mean there’s so many times I I’ve covered these situations and you you ask a player, boy, the last time you beat this team in the postseason was 1970. And they look at you and blink and you know, you feel you definitely feel in that moment like you’re really uncool and you’re sounding like grandpa running back that history. the players are in the moment in a way that uh you know the rest of us are not as baseball fans who’ve been following the the history of the Brewers franchise. So Buster, how would you power rank these final four teams? Well, here’s the thing. Like when I sat down, they asked us for predictions for ESPN.com and you try to talk yourself into doing something new and inventive. There’s no question that the Goliaths here are the Dodgers with all of the the talent they have. Um, but you know, the the Brewers kind of remind me of like what every March we when we have the NCAA tournament, there’s that one team that does the fullcourt press and nobody else does that or you know some team that fast break. there’s a particular style that really bugs other teams and has an effect on other teams and that’s where they are. Um, yeah, I think it’s on paper the Dodgers are clearly the best team among the four. I think probably uh, you know, the Blue Jays because their starting pitching is in order. You’d have them on paper being number two. I think the Brewers probably be number three and the Mariners are number four for me. U, but the Brewers don’t care about that. Yeah, that’s what’s so fun about it. They’ll lean into it. Oh, you know what? We’re going to start an opener. You know, they’ll probably, I’m guessing, they’ll throw out a lefty in the first inning tonight to, you know, to continue this way of approaching Otani. Uh, and then they’ll go to the bullpen after that and they’ll be convinced that they are going to find a way like they have all year at a time when idiots like me are doubting them. Do they have enough in the bullpen to do what they did against the Cubs? because they had more off days in the five game series than they’re going to have in the seven game series, right? Uh and I think that is an is absolutely a legitimate question. I think with the off days and with the adrenaline of the postseason and the all, you know, all hands- on deck mentality that these teams play with, I do think in this series, I I think they’ll be okay in this round. I think where you really start to see the cracks is the next round. If you guys remember uh when the Cubs went on their championship run in 2016, Araldus Chapman was great. He was great. He was great. Andrew Miller for the Guardians uh then Indians, he was great. He was pitching every day. And then by the time he got to Middle World Series, they were out of gas. And and I think that, you know, the teams that rely so heavily on their bullpens, I think the Mariners are going to be in this category as well as the Brewers, it’ll be a challenge to get to the finish line, but that doesn’t come up till mile 20. And we’re in mile 12 right now. Buster, what would you do for the pitching? How would you handle it? We got Freddy, you got Quinn, you got some options there. Obviously, Brandon Woodruff not available for this series, I don’t think. Right. That Gabe, that was the latest on Yeah. He said in the celebration, he hasn’t even started throwing yet. Jose Kintana. So, again, like you mentioned earlier, it is it is a TBD still on MLB.com. And I think the the goal is for Freddy to go game two, maybe. How would should they go with the opener again? What would you do? Yeah, you go with the opener. And this is the strategy that the Phillies really uh deployed well against Otani and it was an issue for him. He is really struggled because the Phillies threw wave after wave of of left-handers against him. Um and that’s the blueprint. If you’re facing the Dodgers, start with a left-handed opener. So maybe you go Ashby to start the game. Um, you know, Dave Roberts has said to me that, you know, when when teams do that, what he does is then, of course, line up right-handed batters to follow immediately. Mookie bets and Tay Oscar Hernandez kills lefties, generally speaking. And Dave refers to it as the Teao attacks. Okay, you can start a lefty opener, but then we’re coming back. You’re going to have to face Tea Oscar Hernandez in the first inning. Uh again, you know, the the Brewers are not going to be afraid of that, but I’m assuming they’re going to start with a left-handed opener uh and then go, as the managers say, with lanes, um you know, depending on who’s coming up in the Dodgers lineup. And you know, you throw right-handers, you throw left-handers. And if you feel like that you have an opportunity, uh you know, to to grab the game, maybe that’s when you start, you know, having the conver conversation about Miseroski and and what he can give you. um you know, especially in the middle middle games of the series. To me, he you don’t put Ms.ki in unless you’re tied or ahead because he is such a differencemaker and you can feel good about your chances of having three or four scoreless innings. Buster, does Murf win manager of the year? I think he should. I don’t know how you don’t give it to him. uh you know given how they’ve done this year and and uh again exceeded expectations he clearly has an impact on their you know not only their style of play but the great culture um you know I’m sure you guys love talking to him the way I love talking to him I had my podcast recently and you know all the stories about checking you know anyone who you know getting everyone to check their ego at the door they have 100% buyin that is a really hard thing to do I mean goodness you got the Philadelphia Eagles right now, you know, defending Super Bowl champions, uh, off to a great start and it feels like that, uh, you know, between the wide receivers and Jaylen Hurst, they can’t get everyone on the same page. The Brewers have everybody on the same page and that that is really hard to do. When’s the last time you saw a story like Andrew Vaughn given up on by the White Socks? Just here, take him. And now I mean he was such a big part of the regular season, but then he’s got two home runs in the DS against the Cubs. Yeah. Uh not not I nothing pops to mind that uh where I’ve seen that in terms of the you know the trajectory that he’s had. I mean we’ve all seen guys who you know go on scrap heap and then a year or two later you hear about them uh how they look good coming up through the minor leagues again or maybe they surprise people in spring training. But to go from being a mid-season dump to now being such an important part of the team and is a shocker and as you guys know um I mean Andrew Vaughn is is such a good dude and he’s a great pro to the point that his struggles with the White Socks I I felt bad for him because you’re like man I know he loves to play. I know you know he really cares. Um and so it’s been neat to see him revitalized in this way with the Brewers. Well that’s the thing. The Brewers have good guys across the board, man. Caleb Durban, Jackson Cheurio. I love Sal Felic. I love everything about this guy. Who’s your favorite Brewer? I’m putting you on the spot. Oh, pick your favorite. What’s your favorite color, man? And you’re right. I I mean, uh he’s not active now, but I got to know Reese Hoskins through the years. Um you know, he I I just love talking baseball with him. Um you’re right. I I actually did a a fundraiser when Freriick was in college and got to know him a little bit there. Um I I you know what I love is is that Freddy Peralta has to be for the Brewers, you know, as we move through the postseason, he’s got to be their Madison Bumgarnner like in 2014 or he’s got to be the oral hersizer of 1988 where so much is on his shoulders because there’s so much uncertainty around him. He’s the, you know, he’s their trick scoo. He’s the one sturdy piece that they have and they rely on. And my perception of him is that he does not waver from that. Like, bring it on. Let’s go. I mean, they’re chanting Freddy. It was like Freddy. Yeah. In Chicago. Yeah. Freddy, you know, and he was like, you know, the camera’s showing him and he’s looking straight at Contrarus and it was like not now. I think it got to him a little bit, but he bounced back very quickly in that environment. That’s what you’re speaking to, Buster. I’m glad you brought up Ree because if you want to talk about buyin, here’s a guy who just talk about Andrew Vaughn. Vaughn took his job while while Ree was hurt and the Brewers didn’t use Ree Hoskins barely at the end of the year when he was finally able to come back healthy. But the way that he’s still around this team, a leader on this team, helped uh William Contrus through a slump earlier this year while he was injured. Like that to me tells you about the buyin. A guy who’s not even on the active roster who just wants to be around still and I think that Murf fosters that. Absolutely. Uh because he makes it such a fun atmosphere and they they enjoy playing with each other. You know what’s interesting? I uh when the Tigers are going through their tough stretch at the end of the year, I was texting with AJ Hinch, their manager, and I’m like, you know, how are you guys handling this? Are you going to be able to recover once the postseason began? And they did to the point that they advanced. But AJ’s answer was very interesting to me. He said, you know, our guys like each other. And like that’s a big deal. Like there not a lot of teams where you have that situation. Uh, you know, you hear about, well, this guy doesn’t like this guy and this person doesn’t hang out with that person. I mean, the stories from the Padres’s two years ago, for example, was like, that player I can’t stand that guy and that. So, for the Brewers to have that, um, it says a lot about the group of players. But I also think that probably if you, you know, have $120 million payroll, that almost has to be part of what you have, if that makes sense. Like, you can’t have it any other way. If you have some guy off in the corner who’s selfish and isn’t get along with people, you’re getting rid of him because you you have to have every everybody pulling the rope in the same direction. Buster, I’m looking at ESPN.com right now. I know I said you’re cool earlier in the show. I know. I knew where you’re going. I got you picking the Dodgers here on this list. You are one of, I believe, 10 ESPN experts who picked the Dodgers to win the NLCS. But it doesn’t say how many games you think the series is going to go. So, how many games did you think it was going to go? I think it’s I They asked me for a prediction and I said four. I think the Dodgers talent is overwhelming. But here’s the thing, and I was laughing at myself as I turn that in because as I say, you know, I I I have a logical brain, a brain that hopefully works with logic. And when you look at the matchups and you look how the Dodgers pitching is arranged and you see how those guys all performed um I it you know them winning is what makes sense and them winning decidedly because of that makes sense. And yet as I said before I know the Brewers they don’t play bad games and they compete and they battle and they have that style that uh you know clearly unnerves other teams. So, I I fully expect that I’ll be wrong again by the about the Brewers. And we would love nothing more than that, Buster only, hanging out with Jen, Gabe, and Chewy. You are the best. We appreciate your insight so much. Enjoy the ALCS and hopefully we will get to talk to you again when the Brewers are in the World Series. That would be awesome. Well, thanks for having me, guys. Buster only ESPN. He is the best and we are so glad that we got a chance to chat with him this morning on Jen Gab and Chewy. Hey guys, it’s Jen from Jen Gab and Chewy. Thanks for watching our clip. I’m sure it was super informative and educational. I’m just kidding. I love those knuckleheads. And we do it live every Monday through Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. on 945 ESPN Milwaukee. Make sure that you like and subscribe and hit that notification bell so that you get informed anytime we drop new content.

ESPN’s Buster Olney joins Jen, Gabe, and Chewy to break down the Milwaukee Brewers’ chances of reaching the World Series as they prepare to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.

Buster dives into how top prospect Jacob Misiorowski could impact the series, why Freddy Peralta is the Brewers’ most consistent weapon, and what Milwaukee needs to do to overcome the star-studded Dodgers.

⚾ Don’t miss this full NLCS preview and insight on the Brewers’ World Series potential!

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